Business leaders are invited to a special free workshop to discover how best to develop their staff with increased skills and more apprenticeships.This event on Wednesday 11th March from 5:45pm until 8pm in the Maritime Room of the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, forms part of National Apprenticeship Week.Called:’ The Future of Your Workforce’, it is organised by the Council’s Economy and Tourism Team and aims to highlight benefits and opportunities available to local firms through employing apprentices and up-skilling staff.The evening will include a marketplace featuring local and national providers of apprentices and skills who can help bosses with new staff, or help existing workers reach their full potential.Among the speakers will be Steve Radford from ATC Lasham explaining how apprenticeships have helped his firm to grow and describing the benefits an apprentice can bring.Rachel Dawson from the Skills Funding Agency will discuss the support available to help boost workforce skills.Meanwhile, the Council’s skills team will showcase the local skills market and give business owners further information on local apprenticeship offers.Apprentices will also be attending to talk about their own experiences and the skills they themselves have developed.Registration starts at 5:45pm to allow networking time and to give the chance to enjoy complimentary refreshments. Presentations begin at 6:30pm with more networking time afterwards too. For more details please contact the Economy and Tourism team on: economicd@southend.gov.uk or 01702 215022To book your place please visit: http://www.businesssouthend.co.uk/events/Executive Councillor for Enterprise, Tourism and Economic Development, Councillor Graham Longley said: “This free event is a marvellous opportunity for business leaders to find out in more detail – and from all angles - exactly how apprenticeships and raising staff skills can boost their firms.“It offers a great chance for people to raise questions and share information with those directly involved in these aspects of workforce development.”